Federal workers in California could get unemployment benefits in case of shutdown

If the U.S. government shuts down after today, federal workers in California would be eligible for unemployment benefits after a one-week waiting period, assuming they meet all of the state’s eligibility requirements.

The Employment Development Department has posted a notice on its Web site with information about unemployment benefits for the approximately 254,000 federal workers in California.

The notice says that a federal shutdown should not affect the payment of unemployment benefits to Californians who are already receiving them. The federal government is paying for all unemployment benefits being paid to Californians, either directly (in the cast of extended benefits) or through a loan (in the case of initial benefits).

The U.S. Department of Labor has advised EDD “that the payment of unemployment benefits will continue for now, in spite of the possible government shutdown,” the notice says.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the federal governmetn would pick up the tab for any unemployment benefits paid to idled federal workers.